When the ancestors of the Fener family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Sussex. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Veneur, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Fener family

The surname Fener was first found in Sussex. Some of the family were also found in the parish of Horley in Surrey from ancient times. "The church contains the effigy of a man in armour, in a recumbent position, his feet resting on a lion; also an ancient brass effigy, under a pointed arch, to the memory of Joanna Fenner." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Early History of the Fener family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fener research.Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1558 and 1587 are included under the topic Early Fener History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fener Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Fener has been recorded under many different variations, including Fenner, Fenour, Feneur, Veneur and others.

Early Notables of the Fener family (pre 1700)

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fener Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fener family to the New World and Oceana

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Feners were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: Arthur Fenner who settled in Providence R.I. in 1630; Edward Fenner settled in Virginia in 1654; John Fenner settled in Connecticut in 1630; Rebecca Fenner settled in Boston in 1635..